THE GSTAAD PALACE CHALLENGE 2018

31 August – 1 September 2018

“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury” Coco Chanel

An exclusive weekend rally based at the Gstaad Palace Hotel in Switzerland

Luxury on wheels

The Gstaad Palace is a flagship among Swiss luxury hotels, a landmark destination in one of the world’s most luxurious holiday regions, and this autumn it is hosting the Gstaad Palace Challenge, a weekend regularity rally for enthusiasts who appreciate wonderful roads, stunning scenery, fine company and outstanding cuisine. Organised by Rally Round and limited to a select group of classic cars to maintain the highest standards of service within a convivial atmosphere, this is rallying at its very finest.

Known for its exceptional charm and fabulous views of the Saanenland valley, the Palace Hotel’s guest list reads like a who’s who of the international jet set, from film stars to heads of government and global business. It is particularly renowned for its food; from to-die-for truffles champagne cheese fondue at La Fromagerie to the Gault Millau point restaurant Le Grill with open kitchen, there is much to indulge in. The international cuisine at Le Grand Restaurant is as delicious as it is picturesque and Gildo’s Ristorante, named after the hotel’s Maitre D’, is famous for its authentic Italian fare.

The hotel’s Palace Spa is impressive too, offering eight treatment rooms, a private spa suite, saunas and steam baths, a relaxation area with Swiss style fireplace and indoor and outdoor swimming pools boasting panoramic vistas. The authentic interior décor includes a wall of Blausee granite, giving the feel of the Bernese Mountains and creating an exclusive and extraordinary wellness centre that exceeds the expectations of even the most discerning spa connoisseurs.

The Gstaad Palace Challenge takes place on Friday August 31 and Saturday September 1, following a spectacular route devised by Rally Round’s world-renowned route designer Kim Bannister and finishing with a sumptuous prizegiving dinner on the Saturday evening. To read an event preview published in the FT’s How To Spend It magazine, click here.

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Now after a splendid two days of rallying we can reveal the winners, and congratulate Gianmaria Aghem and Rossella Conti on their victory in their lovely Lancia Fulvia Coupe; in second and third places overall were two Aston Martins, the DB6 Vantage of Thomas Maechler and Dale Brandon and the DB4 of Michael Kershaw and Elizabeth Comstock-Smith. As ever we would also like to congratulate all the novice crews – some of them without tripmeters in their cars – who quickly got to grips with the principles of rally timing and navigation and appeared to have a very good time along the way. This was indeed a fantastic rally, filled with fun and laughter, and a real credit to the Gstaad Palace Hotel and the excellent event sponsors, Edmond De Rothschild, Chopard and Bonhams.

You may view the summary results at the bottom of this page, and we will be posting photographs on the Rally Round Facebook and Twitter pages. The next Gstaad Palace Challenge will be held on the last weekend of August 2019; once again entry is by invitation only so if you would like to be considered please contact the Rally Round office for more details.

“A stupendous rally, really outstanding. Extremely well organised and action packed. An abiding memory will be of the great camaraderie and endless laughter.We cannot think of a single thing that would have made it better”
Adrian & Barbara Shooter (1930 Ford Model A) – The Road to Mandalay Rally 2014

“Thank you for three unforgettable weeks, the mixture of laughter, friendship, culture, history, driving and fun. What a cocktail!”

Peter Baker (1939 Citroen Traction Avant) – Paris-Madrid Rally 2014

“Words cannot express how amazing this rally was – truly a once in a lifetime experience!”

“What a trip! Another fantastic Rally Round effort – seamless logistics, excellent route and wonderful activities. Once again you and your team created a superb experience. We had a fantastic time in Japan and we look forward to our next outing!”